Auburn passes Boise State in BCS poll.

GaReb770 · Oct 25, 2010

After defeating LSU 24-17 Saturday, Auburn is now number 1 in the BCS poll followed by Oregon. Boise is 3rd.
 
<a href="http://www.ajc.com/sports/auburn-passes-boise-st-690220.html" target="_blank">http://www.ajc.com/sports/auburn-passes-boise-st-690220.html</a>

mrscoby78 · Oct 25, 2010

After watching Auburn this weekend, I can't argue with that one bit.

gatorbob · Oct 25, 2010

Not a surprise. Auburn beat a Top Ten team, so that obviously helps their BCS standing. Actually, Boise might have been better off with a bye week than if they played a game. If they played, it would have been against some terrible team that would just hurt their strength-of-schedule more. 
 
Boise still needs more teams to lose if they want to make the national championship game. They've gotten lucky the last few weeks, since the #1 team has lost three weeks in a row (Alabama, Ohio St, Oklahoma). They still need Auburn, Oregon, Michigan State, Missouri, and probably Alabama again to lose. (Or at least all but one of those, so they can finish in the top 2). 
 
Auburn plays Ole Miss next weekend. I'd say that their grasp on #1 is safe for at least one week, but who knows...

GaReb770 · Oct 25, 2010

I suspect the Auburn/UGA will be the next big test for Auburn. UGA is looking relatively strong and apparently has fixed whatever problems were ailing them early in the season. Auburn/Alabama should be a really good game Thanksgiving weekend, assuming Georgia State doesn't upset Alabama. <img alt="smile.gif" class="bbcode_smiley" src="http://files.kickrunners.com/smilies//smile.gif" style="width:1px;height:1px;">
 
As for the Ole Miss Black Bears (or whatever they are calling themselves now) I can't imagine Auburn having too much trouble with them.

jcumming · Oct 25, 2010

Boise State plays Tuesday...Tuesday??? WTF???...against that power house Louisiana Tech (3-4). That should boost their BCS Computer Standing. <img alt="" src="http://files.kickrunners.com/smilies/shock.gif" style="width:15px;height:15px;" title=""> Next week they have a bye. Maybe they could schedule Alabama <img alt="" src="http://files.kickrunners.com/smilies/BangHead.gif" style="width:25px;height:20px;" title="">
 
I was surprised that Auburn didn't win by more. I don't think LSU is very good.. Auburn may be looking towards Alabama and get sniped by Georgia. I can't see LSU beating Alabama, but Iowa State beat Texas so we know anything can happen.
 
The unbeatens: Oregon, Boise State, TCU, Missouri, Utah, Michigan State, Auburn,
 
Oregon's last test is this Saturday against USC. If they win they will be going to the championship. I think they will. 
 
Missouri's last test is this Saturday against Nebraska in Lincoln. It will be close.
 
Michigan State still has to play at Iowa this Saturday and finishes at Penn State. Hmmm
 
Auburn ends the season at Tuscaloosa. That seems like a good matchup.
 
 
Boise State will play in the championship ONLY if 3 of Oregon, Missouri, Michigan State and Auburn lose a game
 
TCU and Utah play one another. I don't think either has any chance at playing in the championship as they don't quite have the "cachet" of Boise State, but if unbeaten they will need ALL of Boise State, Oregon, Missouri,Michigan State, Auburn...and probably Alabama to lose again. Highly, highly unlikely.

mrscoby78 · Oct 25, 2010

Oregon still has Arizona in there too.
 
I think Michigan State will get beat. They've had a couple close calls.

mrscoby78 · Oct 25, 2010

Boise/Nevada
Oregon/Arizona
Utah/TCU
Auburn/Alabama
 
Still plenty of opportunity for a fucked up BCS poll.

mmoonptdeux · Oct 25, 2010

<div class="quote-container">Quote:
<div class="quote-block">Originally Posted by jcumming <a href="/forum/thread/70811/auburn-passes-boise-state-in-bcs-poll#post_1956908"><img alt="View Post" class="inlineimg" src="/img/forum/go_quote.gif" style="border-right:0px solid;border-top:0px solid;border-left:0px solid;border-bottom:0px solid;"></a> The unbeatens: Oregon, Boise State, TCU, Missouri, Utah, Michigan State, Auburn,
 
Oregon's last test is this Saturday against USC. If they win they will be going to the championship. I think they will. 
 
Missouri's last test is this Saturday against Nebraska in Lincoln. It will be close.
 
Michigan State still has to play at Iowa this Saturday and finishes at Penn State. Hmmm
 
Auburn ends the season at Tuscaloosa. That seems like a good matchup.
 
Boise State will play in the championship ONLY if 3 of Oregon, Missouri, Michigan State and Auburn lose a game
 
TCU and Utah play one another. I don't think either has any chance at playing in the championship as they don't quite have the "cachet" of Boise State, but if unbeaten they will need ALL of Boise State, Oregon, Missouri,Michigan State, Auburn...and probably Alabama to lose again. Highly, highly unlikely.
 
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Michigan State's big game is Iowa, no ifs ands and buts about it. Penn State is down this year, though going on the road there is never an easy task, especially in a last game with all the marbles on the line.
 
Don't forget even if Mizzou beats Nebraska (not a sure thing obviously), it still has to play in the Big 12 championship game. That could very well be a rematch against Oklahoma at an ostensibly neutral site (the other possibles are Baylor or OSU) 

Looks like Auburn v. Alabama will essentially be for all the marbles in the SEC, unless the SEC East champion (South Carolina? Georgia?) can pull off a major upset in the SEC championship game. Speaking of which, if somehow LSU beats Alabama and then Alabama beats Auburn and they all end up with the same divisional record, who gets to go the championship game?
 
USC is the big one for Oregon for sure, but don't discount Oregon State in the annual Civil War - anything can happen there. They do get ranked Arizona at home, but jekyll-and-hyde Cal on the road could be problematic if they look ahead to AZ the following week. 
 
Boise & TCU still need a lot to happen to even be in the (realistic) conversation for the BCS championship game.

GaReb770 · Oct 25, 2010

It's a little bit convuluted but in the case of a LSU/Alabama/Auburn tie the following would determine which team represents the SEC West in the championship game:
 
 
(from Wikipedia)
 
Three or more-team procedure
<ol><li>(Once the tie has been reduced to two teams, go to the two-team tie-breaker format.)</li>
<li>Combined head-to-head record among the tied teams.</li>
<li>Record of the tied teams within the division.</li>
<li>Head-to-head competition vs. the team within the division with the best overall (divisional and non-divisional) Conference record and proceeding through the division. Multiple ties within the division will be broken from first to last.</li>
<li>Overall record vs. non-division teams.</li>
<li>Combined record vs. all common non-divisional teams.</li>
<li>Record vs. common non-divisional team with the best overall Conference (divisional and non-divisional) record and proceeding through other common non-divisional teams based on their order of finish within their division.</li>
<li>The tied team with the highest ranking in the Bowl Championship Series Standings following the last weekend of regular-season games shall be the divisional representative in the SEC Championship Game, unless the second of the tied teams is ranked within five-or-fewer places of the highest ranked tied team. In this case, the head-to-head results of the top two ranked tied teams shall determine the representative in the SEC Championship Game.</li>
</ol>

duckgeek · Oct 25, 2010

We have a much tougher 2nd half schedule, no doubt about it.
 
It would be funny if Masoli led Ole Miss to a win over Auburn. Almost like we sent a sniper to the SEC to take someone out! He played very well in their loss this past weekend.

gatorbob · Oct 25, 2010

I think if Alabama wins out from here on, including the SEC Championship game, I think they'll pass Boise St in the BCS. 

<div class="quote-container">Quote:
<div class="quote-block">Originally Posted by mmoonptdeux <a href="/forum/thread/70811/auburn-passes-boise-state-in-bcs-poll#post_1956942"><img alt="View Post" class="inlineimg" src="/img/forum/go_quote.gif" style="border-right:0px solid;border-top:0px solid;border-left:0px solid;border-bottom:0px solid;"></a> 
Looks like Auburn v. Alabama will essentially be for all the marbles in the SEC, unless the SEC East champion (South Carolina? Georgia?) can pull off a major upset in the SEC championship game. Speaking of which, if somehow LSU beats Alabama and then Alabama beats Auburn and they all end up with the same divisional record, who gets to go the championship game?
 
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LSU only has one loss. So by this scenario (assuming these teams will all their other games that you don't mention), then Auburn and LSU would each have one loss and Alabama would have two. Thus the tie-break simply comes down to this past weekend's LSU-Auburn game. Since the LSU-Alabama loser will have two losses, the only way these three teams end up tied is if they all lose two games. 
 
I suppose it's possible for that to happen. LSU still plays Alabama, Ole Miss and Arkansas, and would need to lose exactly one of those games. Alabama plays LSU, Mississippi St and Auburn, and would need to lose exactly one of those. Auburn plays Ole Miss, Georgia and Alabama, and would need to lose exactly two of them. 
 
Arkansas and Miss St both have two conference losses each, which technically means they are both still alive for getting in on this scenario also. But I think there are really only two games lef that will decide the SEC West: LSU-Alabama and Auburn-Alabama. If Alabama wins both, they are the SEC West champion. If they lose either one of those games, Auburn will be the champ. The only way LSU wins the division is if Auburn loses two games. 
 
The SEC East is just as jumbled, but with worse teams. Florida and South Carolina each control their own destiny. But Georgia is still alive if they beat Florida and South Carolina loses to both Florida and Arkansas. Yeesh, what a mess.
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mmoonptdeux · Oct 25, 2010

I didn't know the tie-break system before GA Reb posted it boB but that posting clarified it for me. 
 
So basically, unless Ole Miss somehow upsets Auburn (or GA (not probable) or Chattanooga (ha!)) they're pretty much guaranteed the SEC East if LSU ends up beating Alabama in their tilt, because Alabama would have two losses and they've beaten LSU in the head to head.
 
Of course, losing that game to Alabama, provided this scenario unfolds as written, would probably keep an SEC team from competing in the BCS championship.

wherestheportojohn · Oct 25, 2010

'Sconnie made the top ten based on the level of partying we've done for the past two weeks. <img alt="" src="http://files.kickrunners.com/smilies/tits.gif" style="width:21px;height:30px;" title=""> <img alt="" src="http://files.kickrunners.com/smilies/biggrin.gif" style="width:16px;height:16px;" title=""> <img alt="" src="http://files.kickrunners.com/smilies/headbang.gif" style="width:26px;height:28px;" title=""> <img alt="" src="http://files.kickrunners.com/smilies/cool.gif" style="width:16px;height:16px;" title=""> <img alt="" src="http://files.kickrunners.com/smilies/occasion14.gif" style="width:60px;height:40px;" title="">

duckgeek · Oct 25, 2010

I have to put in a plug for Stanford, too. If they win out (and Oregon wins out) they'll probably end up around 6th in the BCS with only a loss to Oregon and they'll automagically be bound for the Rose Bowl. If that happens we could see a pretty nice match-up between Stanford and either Wisco or MSU. I'd definitely be watching that game!

jcumming · Oct 25, 2010

<div class="quote-container">Quote:
<div class="quote-block">Originally Posted by duckgeek <a href="/forum/thread/70811/auburn-passes-boise-state-in-bcs-poll#post_1957059"><img alt="View Post" class="inlineimg" src="/img/forum/go_quote.gif" style="border-bottom:0px solid;border-left:0px solid;border-top:0px solid;border-right:0px solid;"></a> I have to put in a plug for Stanford, too. If they win out (and Oregon wins out) they'll probably end up around 6th in the BCS with only a loss to Oregon and they'll automagically be bound for the Rose Bowl. If that happens we could see a pretty nice match-up between Stanford and either Wisco or MSU. I'd definitely be watching that game!
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Oh there are going to be some pretty great bowl matchups regardless of who plays for the championship. This has been the most fun in years if like me you have a few teams you really like (I do wear my Boise State, or Georgia Tech shirt on most Saturdays) and a few you really can't stand (sadly, I think Notre Dame is hardly worth despising anymore).
 
I just hope they don't end up having Boise State, TCU and Utah in bowls where they play one of the other two. I like games like Boise State vs Oklahoma, David vs Goliath, Notre Dame vs All Saints Girls Choir...games where you can out and out cheer for the underdog...except in that matchup Notre Dame vs All Saints Girls Choir would be a "pic 'em" game.

hazelrah · Oct 25, 2010

From a Spartan fan of 20+ years prospective: The Iowa may be the last game this year MSU is not favored. However, even with a win against Iowa, the Spartans have a long history of losing games they are expected to win, especially with the pressure of being unbeaten, no game down the stretch will be a gimme for this team.
Especially the last game of the year AT Penn State. I can't remember the last time "we" even held "our" own at Penn State. Here is a look at the series recently. I could not find a neat listing that goes farther back. The last game I went to at Spartan stadium the Spartans led by 20 points in the 4th quarter in the mid 1990's before a brick headed running into the kicker penalty ignited a massive Penn State comeback led by Kerry Collins. Blowing 4th quarter leads would go on to become my team's religion for the next decade. I think all the even years are the games at Penn State, mostly wood shed jobs, and odd years at MSU. I will be hard for me to look at MSU as a favorite even is 11-0 at that point.
 
2009: Penn State 42 - Michigan State 14 
2008: Penn State 49 - Michigan State 18 
2007: Michigan State 35 - Penn State 31 
2006: Penn State 17 - Michigan State 13 
2005: Penn State 31 - Michigan State 22 
2004: Penn State 37 - Michigan State 13 
2003: Michigan State 41 - Penn State 10 
2002: Penn State 61 - Michigan State 7 
2001: Penn State 42 - Michigan State 37 
2000: Penn State 42 - Michigan State 23 
1999: Michigan State 35 - Penn State 28 
1998: Penn State 51 - Michigan State 28
 
That said, I did not expect my team to come back when down 17-0 last Saturday on the road. 2 ways you can spin that:
1.) They barely beat unranked Northwestern who just lost to Purdon't, and only a late TD made it more then a 1 point game.
2.) They beat a 5-1 team on the road, coming back from 17-0.
 
I will choose #2.
 
So I roll my eye's when my fellow Spartan fans start talking national championship game right now.
 
Let's worry about Iowa for this week and enjoy 8-0! Go Spartans!

Timr1 · Oct 26, 2010

It's funny that you mention it. The probably COULD schedule Bama, but it's not likely that they will. 

<h1>Alabama AD: 'no call from Boise'</h1>
<div class="post-info">Posted by Ben Kercheval on September 24, 2010 10:13 PM ET</div>
<div class="post-body"><a href="http://collegefootballtalk.nbcsports.com/2010/09/09/assistant-nebraska-ad-boise-wanted-1-million-to-play-us/" target="_blank">Already called out by Nebraska for wanting $1 million</a>, Boise State finds itself under fire again for their "anyone, anytime, anywhere" mentality. This time, the Broncos have been thrown under the bus by the defending national champions. 
"Boise State has not contacted us," said Alabama athletic director Mal Moore. 
It may not seem like 'Bama's throwin' down entirely, but the Tide is now the second program to say "O Rly?" to Boise athletic director Gene Bleymaier bold claim. 
"We'll play anybody in the country home and home," Bleymaier said in an interview with ESPN. 
It's interesting to note that, <a href="http://espn.go.com/blog/ncfnation/post/_/id/27965/boise-state-wants-home-and-home-games" target="_blank">according to the same ESPN article</a>, Boise will travel to Ole Miss for a single game series for a lofty $900,000 in 2011. 
Regardless of who you defend in this situation, you have to recognize that each school is looking out for its own best interest. Boise desires national respect, but isn't willing to give up home games to get it. After all, they need to make money, too. Alabama plays in a competitive conference, so scheduling an additional 'tough game' is less appealing to them. </div>
 

<div class="quote-container">Quote:
<div class="quote-block">Originally Posted by jcumming <a href="/forum/thread/70811/auburn-passes-boise-state-in-bcs-poll#post_1956908"><img alt="View Post" class="inlineimg" src="/img/forum/go_quote.gif" style="border-bottom:0px solid;border-left:0px solid;border-top:0px solid;border-right:0px solid;"></a> .... <img alt="" src="http://files.kickrunners.com/smilies/shock.gif" style="width:15px;height:15px;" title=""> Next week they have a bye. Maybe they could schedule Alabama <img alt="" src="http://files.kickrunners.com/smilies/BangHead.gif" style="width:25px;height:20px;" title="">
 
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jcumming · Oct 26, 2010

Alabama would be dumbasses to schedule a home and home with Boise State until they add another 25,000 seats in Boise.
 
Boise State would be dumbasses to go to Alabama without a return home date. Too much likelihood of losing a game. Leave that for the Georgia States of the world who have absolutely nothing to lose and a bunch of bucks to gain in Tuscaloosa.
 
If there was more emphasis on conference championships for the BCS game rather than being unbeaten teams would be more likely to schedule really tough non-conference opponents.
 
Of course they could have a playoff, but that seems totally un-Amerkun. <img alt="wink.gif" class="bbcode_smiley" src="http://files.kickrunners.com/smilies//wink.gif">

Timr1 · Oct 26, 2010

<div class="quote-container">Quote:
<div class="quote-block">Originally Posted by jcumming <a href="/forum/thread/70811/auburn-passes-boise-state-in-bcs-poll#post_1957173"><img alt="View Post" class="inlineimg" src="/img/forum/go_quote.gif" style="border-bottom:0px solid;border-left:0px solid;border-top:0px solid;border-right:0px solid;"></a> Alabama would be dumbasses to schedule a home and home with Boise State until they add another 25,000 seats in Boise.
 
Boise State would be dumbasses to go to Alabama without a return home date. Too much likelihood of losing a game. Leave that for the Georgia States of the world who have absolutely nothing to lose and a bunch of bucks to gain in Tuscaloosa.
 
If there was more emphasis on conference championships for the BCS game rather than being unbeaten teams would be more likely to schedule really tough non-conference opponents.
 
Of course they could have a playoff, but that seems totally un-Amerkun. <img alt="wink.gif" class="bbcode_smiley" src="http://files.kickrunners.com/smilies//wink.gif" style="width:1px;height:1px;">
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 Agreed. Bama wouldn't do a home and home. It would be Tuscaloosa only. Nebraska did do some 2 and 1 deals in the last 10 years. They played the 1 portion at the home stadiums of both University of Southern Miss and Troy University. Both are pretty small. 
 
Bama is more likely to keep scheduling high profile teams to start the season at nuetral sites. Like VT last season, Clemson the season before and Fla State before that. 2012 was just announced Michigan vs Bama in Dallas at the new Cowboy's stadium. 
 
Boise needs to realize that the Oklahoma, Michigans of the world don't need to go to Boise as much as Boise needs marque teams from BCS conferences on their schedule. If teams start jumping Boise in the BCS standings it'll be because of computer rankings and Boise's lack of victories over ranked teams.

gatorbob · Oct 26, 2010

I agree that Boise will keep getting passed if other teams keep winning. Missouri and Michigan St would eventually pass Boise if they keep winning. Like I said earlier, I think Alabama would pass Boise if Bama wins out. 
 
But maybe Boise is figuring that they have a better chance at the national championship by HOPING that these teams all lose somewhere, than they would if they actually played these teams head-to-head. Boise might figure that going 12-0 against a cupcake schedule is better than playing tough games they might actually lose. One of these years, they might be proven correct. Heck, I'm pretty sure Missouri and Michigan State will lose somewhere along the way. So it might just take a loss from either Oregon or the Auburn-Alabama winner to get Boise into the championship game.
 
So why schedule tough games if you can play for the championship without doing it?

Auburn passes Boise State in BCS poll.

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